Don Pierson rates the Bears' drafts

April 16, 2006|By Don Pierson.

It's been 41 years since the great Dick Butkus-Gale Sayers draft of 1965. They got to the Hall of Fame but never to an NFL championship game. The Bears' 1985 Super Bowl year was their only title in the last 43 years.

1965 Butkus, Sayers and DE Steve DeLong in first round. DeLong played seven years in AFL. Top receiver Dick Gordon in seventh round. Engineered by assistant coach George Allen, an all-time great haul. 5 BEARS.

1966 Top pick George Rice, an OT, played briefly in AFL. Got LB Doug Buffone in fourth round. 2 BEARS.

1967 DE Loyd Phillips played 32 forgettable games. 0 BEARS.

1968 Mike Hull was O.J. Simpson's blocking back, so they tried to make him a tight end. 0 BEARS.